Adorable

Jinbei Boy

My Little Swimmer

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About Me

I'm just your basic, all-American girl from Denver, Colorado, except for now, I live half way around the world in Japan.: ) I met my husband in university in Denver. College sweethearts. We have been happily married since 1997. And have been together for way longer, about 16 years total. He's originally from Osaka, Japan. We lived for a couple of years in Honolulu Hawaii, where our beautiful first born son, Branden was born. We were sent there by the company my husband works for. He works for an airline by the way. After living in Honolulu, my husband's employer, wanted us to move to Japan. We live in Chiba, Japan. Where we just built our dream home, an import "all American" house! Which means a big GE oven, big GE dishwasher and yes, central heating and central air conditioning, yay! We also have a beautiful second son, named Noah. Since my husband works for an airline like I said, we travel a lot and I really do appreciate the flight benefits. Other then that, I just love spending time with my family and friends and enjoy back yard BBQ's.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Getting ready for Fall

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So when did I order this raincoat? End of August or beginning of September or something like that, I recall I posted a tiny blurb about it and the 30% off we got on it at the time. But it arrived to us in Japan and we love this. Both Branden and Noah have this now in their sizes. And I like that it's lined.

This came also, and I liked the orange writing on this. Both of the boys got this one also.

For whatever reason both Branden and Noah love wearing vests, and the color on this Gap vest is fantastic and it is the "warmest puffy/puffer vest" so like the name says, it is very warm.

I'm lucky in that my dad will forward any Gap/Old Navy packages I have or sometimes he'll save them at his condo if he knows I am coming. We were unsure if I was coming at the start of September (for October) so he sent them on to the boys. Thanks dad! These are Branden's. In this pic is Branden's yellow puffy vest, Branden's yellow rain coat, the light blue long sleeve with gray sleeves and orange writing. A pretty blue stripey shirt and a long sleeved yellow shirt with cool skulls on the sleeves.

These are Noah's things for his leap into the Fall and cooler weather. 1 yellow Gap puffy vest, 1 Gap rain coat, though his stripe yellow and orange one which he *loves* still fits with room to spare, but Noah's Gap raincoat that is pictured is in size 8, so he"ll get usage from this in the future. A long sleeve yellow and navy striped shirt. I liked this so much I went and ordered this shirt in Branden's size, so Branden also now has this same shirt also. The same light blue top with orange writing. And the yellow tee with cool skulls on the sleeves, Noah got this one also. At least 3 long sleeves were a start in the right direction.

When I ordered Branden the striped yellow long sleeve, same as Noah had, I went and ordered this tee for Noah, it's bright and orange and the sleeves and cute. This already got here too. So 4 long sleeves for Noah so far.

This is the yellow tee they both have from Gap with the skulls on the sleeves.

They each have this one and it goes perfect with the yellow puffer vest! This plus the vest and a pair of jeans will look great this Fall.

Old Navy was selling really great sweaters at the start of September. This one in particular ladies commented most in the comments section at Old Navy. They said it fit great. Yadayada however everyone said this was very close to the one they were selling at J Crew but the J Crew one was for like $90! Or something really expensive. This was like $20 plus the 30% off coupon I used. So, I jumped on it. And I am so glad I did, because they're all sold out now but I am glad I have mine. This will look great with a great pair of jeans and maybe my navy blue New Balance sneakers. Perhaps this will be what I wear to Disney. Who knows. But I love this sweater, it's very current for right now. I think I'll be wearing this a lot this Fall and Winter.

You know, I am a mom, mornings are less hectic now that both Branden and Noah are in the same school. But, I'm still busy in the day, and throwing this on with a pair of yoga pants in the morning so I can take them to school. Or on a lazy weekend throwing this on with a pair of jeans and maybe us all heading to the movies or to Hanamasa or to lunch or whatnot. Also, most sweatshirts always have hoods for women, I don't mind hoods for the boys. But I was happy to get a ladies sweatshirt minus the hood.

And I bought the same sweatshirt in navy.

The coral Gap sweatshirt and the heart sweater, they look so much cuter not wrapped in the plastic. ; )

Gap boxes. Yay!

I saw these polka dot shoes and I knew they had to be mine. Love these shoes!

Black leather ballet flats from Gap, this leather is so soft.

These shoes are so awesome.

These will go with, leggings, jeggings, skirts and jeans. I can't wait.

Noah's long sleeve orange shirt. Pictured above someplace.

And 1 preppy striped fleece for Branden. Fall, I'm just about ready for you! And remember before the 2nd semester started we went and bought them both socks. And we also bought them some jeans already, Branden got 3 pair so far and Noah 2 pair so far. So, I am starting to be Fall ready clothes wise.

Every Fall they get new sneakers. Last weekend we drove to Chiba New Town/Inzai and picked up some new sneakers for the boys.

They both ended up with Adidas. Plus Noah's orange Asics still fit with room to spare and he has a brand new never worn yellow pair of Asics still hiding in the shoe closet still. Noah's had 2 or 3 pair of orange Asics so far, lol. Anyway....

I cut the tags off all the long sleeves and I washed them all up on a quick wash before they wear them for the first time.

And then I hung them in their closets and so we have been getting prepared for Fall.

Okay sorry about this lady giving us her sexy pose.; ) Anyway, I have had long hair for the past 10 years, just like this pic.... choppy face framing layers and everything. At home I throw it into a pony tail, but outside I leave it long and down. I have had a few "the Rachel" cuts mixed in from time to time, from Friends which is shoulder length with lots of choppy layers. During these past 10 years but for the most part, it is just really long and pin straight with face framing layers.

Was it 3 or 4 years ago, I saw Katie Holmes new bob and I said well that's different. And I had mine all chopped, this was right before Noah started yochien so this was years ago. It of course grew out. Well derr 4 years it obviously did. : ) Plus my hair grows like a weed anyway. However, my last hair cut was June 2012? Somewhere around there. And I once again had face framing layers and hair straightening. All summer it grew even *more* And fall, is when I usually get my new hair cut, albeit same haircut and same hair straightening. However about 8-10 days before Branden and Noah's undokai, I really started to think...."should I get the same ol' same ol" Or should I chop it all off! That was the question, I had. However flash back to when I was in the 10th grade and I thought, "I should get bangs" instead of thinking it through being so impulsive and young like that and not even going to the salon, I took out the scissors at home and whack! Huge mistake....huge huge! Not only did I not cut them right at all! I decided I look 100% times better *without* bangs! Isn't that so enlightening *after the fact* @_@ Ha! But such is youth. And so, cute little barrettes and pull and stretch my bangs to one side or just headbands galore. I wore headbands or 1 rhinestone barrette to the side to cover the bang butcher job for about 6 months! What did I learn? Think things through, don't be impulsive when it comes to your hair or anything really. So, now I have the good sense I clearly didn't have in the 10th grade when it comes to my hair. And so I said to myself, give it 1 week and if I still want to chop my hair off, then I guess I really do! But no hasty snap decisions! So 8 days before undokai, I wanted to cut my hair. No action just thought it out. 7 days before, still wanted to cut my hair, no action taken. 6 days before the boys undokai and yep still wanted to cut my hair still no action taken. At this point I lightly mention to Noboru, "btw honey I am considering cutting my hair" Day 5, start thinking about length....do I want Katie Holmes bob type short? No. But I do want a change. A sorta big one. I have a hair styles 2012 book, I bought at Tsutaya in January of this year, I forget when exactly. Anyway....I didn't find a single hair cut in the magazine I wanted, figures. : ) Anyway I have been getting our whole family into Fall with clothes and whatnot. Right, so there I was flipping though a ladies clothing catalog here in Japan looking for Fall clothes for myself. And I found the hair cut. Pictured below.

I bought this sweatshirt in navy blue btw, I love it! And it seems in Japan this Fall, "big slouchy" side pockets are "very in" right now. I see them all over at the mall and in different catalogs and you know, I know everyone's different but I persoanlly really like the funky new slouchy side pockets. And the polka dots on this made it very femenine, so anyway I ordered the navy blue polka dot one and it arrived at my house already with 1 other cute wintery top, sorry the topic is my hair and not the sweatshirt, moving on..... But her hair was exactly what I was looking for....Mine is straight, dead straight like the Katie Holmes pic up above, but the length is longer then Katie's and the length and cut is exactly this but straight like Katie's. And no bangs like Katie Holmes either. It's this ladies hair exactly except mine is straight. So after waiting a good enough time to know I wasn't making a rush decision about my hair, the day after Branden and Noah's undokai, Sunday, I got up, got myself dressed and I drove to the small shopping mall in the city Noah used to go to yochien in, told Noboru and the boys, I'll be back in about an hour or so with a new haircut. I brought this picture talked to the hairstylist in Japanese, he did my hair last June. And he said, alrighty, that is going to be a big change but it's going to turn out great. And so, I opened my book, the John Edwards mistress one...."What Really Happened" By Rielle Hunter. And I went in for just a basic cut, they shampooed my hair twice once when I arrived and after the cut took place to take any hair bits off from the cut, then he gave me a full blow out and flat ironed it and everything and I paid my 4200 yen and thanked him and left! Everyone loves my new haircut but everyone is also shocked by how different my hair is, since it used to be pretty long. lol. Noboru said, "wow it's like I have a totally different wife now"" and he laughed. When I talk with my "mom friends" at the shogakko, everyone said, I love it, but wow it is so totally different. Also, I was used to using a certain amount of shampoo and now I have to use half of the amount I used to use. Anyway, I think I'll keep my hair this length until January and then who knows maybe I'll let it grow out who knows. But yeah, I got my Fall hair cut. I might go and get a hair straightening in November if I need it, but for now I don't. And Wednesday of this week, Noboru took the boys to the barber and they both have new hair cuts also. Nice new fresh haircuts. And with "Fall observation day" coming this coming week, as well as Disney also, it is nice everyone has new haircuts. Hmm, maybe I can wear this navy blue sweatshirt with cute slouchy pockets with jean capris and low top black converse to Disney. Hmm, the outfit to Disney is still totally undecided ; ) but either way I know I'll be going to Disney comfortable, with sneakers on, what sneakers? I don't know, New Balance or low top converse, but comfort is my #1. : ) Anyway Fall we are ready for you now! : ) Last week it was still so hot, short sleeves and shorts was all you needed. However this week, the weather has cooled down some. The boys have gone to school all week, this week with long sleeve tops and shorts. So still warm but no longer is it "hot". When will the boys be shifting into pants and jeans? Who knows. But for now they have switched to long sleeves. So weatherwise it is for surely switching. I am thinking about heading to Nishimatsuya this afternoon to look for some jeans for Noah, maybe pick up a pair of jeans for him.

Typhoon coming to Japan? Depending on where you live it might have already passed you. Or maybe isn't coming where you live. Tuesday of this week, both Branden and Noah came home saying their teachers mentioned to the class that a typhoon was coming and should be here this coming Saturday? The heads up was appreciated for me. I mentioned to Noboru, but he says it won't be hitting our area. So maybe we will not be affected tomorrow at all, or I am unsure. Either way, the pantry and fridge is fully stocked, so either way we are okay. Tonight I am making beef curry, the beef is boiling on the stove as I type and tomorrow/Saturday I am baking 2 whole chickens, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and veggie. I am also thinking about either baking a cake or homemade chocolate chip cookies for this weekend. So we will be fine here either way. Anyway, if the typhoon does come, please stay safe everyone. : )

Surfer Boy

My Prepster

Studious and Smart

An Excellent Swimmer

About the Blog

This blog was started for everybody I care about and love back home, it sorta helps my family and friends feel more connected to me and my life. It's also a place to make new friendships, support one another, laugh our butts off at times, and just be kind to one another and hang out! So please join me, while I try living my life in Japan, all the good, the bad and yes even the embarrassing blunders that I will probably be making along the way! : )